Buy plenty of good, healthy food and don’t even go down the cookie aisle. In fact, most of the smart food will be on the perimeter of the store. Stick to your list and don’t buy food you shouldn’t eat.

Don’t stop there. Prepare the food when you are at your strongest point. Are you at your best in the morning? Fix up your snacks then and have them ready in the fridge, or packed in a brown bag to take with you. Put dinner in the crockpot. Make sure you are ready for the day and have your bases covered.

Maybe your strong time is in the afternoon or evening. Do your preparation then.

Also, take a look at your schedule. Take control of your day before it takes control of you. Plan ahead to pace yourself and not get too tired. We can’t help but get stressed or lonely sometimes, but we can take steps to deal with the issues in our lives so they don’t overcome us.

He who fails to plan, plans to fail. So make some plans — and plan to succeed in a life that is vital, fulfilling, and active — beyond gorgeous.